STOP THE CUTS
Riders Won Twice.
Let's Keep Going.
Riders spoke up, and the County listened. So far, $21.6 million in bus service has been restored for 11,079 weekday riders. But 3,480 riders could still lose their bus in March 2027.
Stay Connected to the FightHow We WonWhat the Fare Increase MeansRoutes Saved, Routes Still at Risk$21.6M
in bus service restored
11,079
weekday riders keep their bus
$9.9M
in cuts still unfunded
3,480
weekday riders still at risk
How We Won. Twice.
In July, the Mayor proposed $31.5 million in bus cuts. That's about 11% of all Metrobus service. Early morning service, late night service, and 12 entire routes were on the chopping block.We started with the first bus. Early morning buses carry nurses, construction workers, students, and airport and hospitality workers. Then we fought for late night riders, who had the most to lose. Riders spoke up, and the County listened.
Together, we restored $21.6M in Metrobus funding.
Thank you to Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez, Mayor Levine Cava, and the Commissioners who stood up for riders.
And thank you to every rider and volunteer who showed up, and to our partners: Catalyst Miami, Engage Miami, Miami Civics Club, Miami Freedom Project, Miami Homes For All, Miami Workers Center, Miami Waterkeeper, and the Biscayne Neighbors Association.
And thank you to every rider and volunteer who showed up, and to our partners: Catalyst Miami, Engage Miami, Miami Civics Club, Miami Freedom Project, Miami Homes For All, Miami Workers Center, Miami Waterkeeper, and the Biscayne Neighbors Association.
This time, there were trade-offs.
The new $9.2 million comes from a 50-cent fare increase on Metrobus and Metrorail. The fare goes from $2.25 to $2.75. While a fare increase means a bit more (about $8M) steady funding for transit every year, for many riders it is an increase that will hit them hard.
Free and reduced fare programs can help, but many riders who qualify are not signed up yet. Transit Alliance will share information to help riders enroll in fare programs, if they qualify. We urge Commissioners to double their efforts to help their constituents apply.
The budget crisis explained
While costs to run county services are consistently on the rise, departments were asked to limit their spending increases for next year’s fiscal year. Running today's bus service costs $31.4 million more than the county has budgeted for next year. This is why, once again, transit it on the chopping block, and cuts have been proposed for Miami-Dade Metrobus. At the second budget hearing on September 17, Commissioners voted to make any future use of TIID money a loan. The County will have to pay it back when there are surpluses or new funding for transit.
What this means
Miami-Dade is still struggling to build reserves. Without them, transit funding becomes a crisis every year. The gap for transit funding will get worse if Amendment 3 passes.
- To avoid even deeper cuts, the County emptied its Transportation Infrastructure Improvement District (TIID) reserve. The TIID is the County's dedicated transit fund.
- The TIID refills as new development and real estate grow across Miami-Dade. But the yearly amount is not guaranteed.
- The TIID was created to pay for new rapid transit projects and the infrastructure along those corridors. Spending it to run today's service takes money from the transit Miami-Dade needs tomorrow.
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Thank you to the American Public Transit Association (APTA ) for Supporting this work through the Local Coalition Grant Program
IN THE NEWS
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